There are two main aims to this module. The first is to introduce students to some of the key thinkers and philosophical schools of the 20th Century, through the study and analysis of their most well known ideas.  The second is to look at how these philosophies were received and interpreted by thinkers here in Wales.

Specifically, the module discusses and analyzes three western schools of philosophical thought: British Idealism, Wittgensteinian philosophy and existentialism. Students will receive a general introduction to these philosophies and will focus on some of the main thinkers in these traditions, in addition to studying the ‘Welsh’ philosophers who have promoted them, or adapted their key ideas to their subjects of choice – such as religion and nationalism. There will also be an opportunity to consider some more recent schools of thought, such as post-modernism and post-colonialism, and their relevance to contemporary Wales. Students will therefore have the unique chance to study some of the most influential ideas in recent Western thought, whilst considering in addition their implications for intellectual history in Wales.

1.      Understand key developments in Western philosophy during the 20^th century.

2.      Describe the essential elements of some of the most important philosophical movements of the 20^th century.

3.      Understand and analyze key ideas of some of the foremost 20^th century thinkers.

4.      Understand and analyze the ideas of some of the foremost philosophers in 20^th century Wales.

5.      Evaluate the manner in which Welsh thinkers have adapted and interpreted key ideas in 20^th century philosophy.

6.      Consider and reflect on how the ideas under scrutiny might be considered relevant today, and to what extent recent intellectual trends might help us think about Wales today

7.      Form and evaluate philosophical ideas in discussion.

8.      Present in writing consistent and robust analysis and interpretation of philosophical ideas.

This 20 credit module will be in the form of twenty lectures and ten seminars. The aim of the lectures will be to offer a general introduction to the different schools of thought, their main principles and historical significance, as well as dedicating lectures to the specific Welsh philosophers to be studied.  The seminars will be an opportunity to engage in detail with the philosophies and key ideas of the thinkers under scrutiny.

Intellectual Skills:

The ability to interpret philosophical texts and to understand texts in the context of a tradition of thought

The ability to articulate and assess arguments

The ability to reach conclusions with sound reasoning and detailed interpretations of source material

The ability to develop a consistent position about key themes raised in the module

Discipline Specific Skills:

The ability to analyse and construct philosophical arguments

The ability to interpret philosophical texts and to assess their historical and contemporary relevance

The ability to use (and derive value from) a wide range of philosophical texts

Transferable Skills:

The ability to analyse arguments

The ability to read texts in a disciplined and creative manner

The ability to communicate clearly and accurately in written work

The ability to present work that has a logical structure

The ability to form their own views and independent positions

Students will develop employability skills which include the ability to synthesise information, operating in group-based discussion involving negotiating ideas and producing clear, informed arguments in a professional manner

The formative assessment for this module will take the form of one essay of 1,000 words, on a specified topic.  This essay should be submitted via Y Porth, by the specified date. Essays will be returned via email.

The summative assessment for this module will include a learning log and one portfolio essay.  The weighting for each assessment is set out below. 

The learning log will consist of weekly critical summaries of the compulsory reading, no longer than 500 words, with students identifying key issues and problems. They are to be submitted at the end of each seminar for feedback, and to be presented as a collection at the end of the module. The portfolio essay will consist of one essay of a maximum of 2500 words and will be selected from the same questions as the formative essays. It must be written especially for the portfolio, but may be based on the formative essay – although a far more thorough critical discussion will be expected.

This module is assessed according to the Marking Criteria set out in the Philosophy Course Guide. There are no academic or competence standards which limit the availability of adjustments or alternative assessments for students with disabilities.

Lectures:

1.      Studying Philosophy and Intellectual History

2.        Hegel

3.        British Idealism (i)

4.        British Idealism (ii)

5.        Henry Jones the Radical Hegelian (i)

6.        Henry Jones the Radical Hegelian (ii)

7.        Wittgenstein (i)

8.        Wittgenstein (ii)

9.        Rush Rhees and Philosophy in Swansea

10.    Rush Rhees’ Philosophy

11.  Dewi Z. Phillips and the Philosophy of Religion

12.  Dewi Z. Phillips and ‘Welsh’ Reflections

13.  Existentialism

14.  Paul Tillich and ‘Theological Existentialism’

15.  The Philosophy of J.R. Jones

16.  J.R. Jones’ Nationalism

17.  Post-modernism (i)

18.  Post-modernism (ii)

19.  Post-colonialism

20.  A Future for Philosophy in Wales?

Seminars:

1.      Philosophy, History, and Hegel

2.      British Idealism

3.      Sir Henry Jones’ Radicalism

4.      Wittgenstein

5.      Rush Rhees

6.      Dewi Z. Phillips

7.      Existentialism

8.      J.R. Jones

9.      Post-modernism and Post-colonialism

10.  Can Philosophy be ‘Welsh’?

Anscombe, G.E.M., 1959, An Introduction to Wittgenstein's Tractatus, London: Hutchinson.

S. Avineri, Hegel’s Theory of the Modern State (1974, Cambridge University Press)

Aylesworth, Gary, "Postmodernism", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2012 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL .

D.Boucher & A. Vincent, A Radical Hegelian: The Social and Political Philosophy of Henry Jones (1993, New York: St Martin’s Press)

D. Boucher & A. Vincent, British Idealism and Political Theory (2000, Edinburgh University Press)

Cooper, D. Existentialism (1999 Oxford: Blackwell)

J. Daniel a W. Gealy, Efrydiau Athronyddol Cyfrol 62 (1999 Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru)

Earnshaw, S., Existentialism: A Guide for the Perplexed (2006, London: Continuum)

F. Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth (2005, Grove Press)

Foucault, Michel, Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in the Age of Reason Richard Howard (trans.) (1965, New York: Random House)

Walford L. Gealy, Wittgenstein (1980, Gwasg Gee)

Guignon, C., and D. Pereboom (eds.), Existentialism: Basic Writings (Indianapolis: Hackett)

Hacker, P.M.S., Insight and Illusion: Themes in the Philosophy of Wittgenstein, (1972 Oxford: Clarendon Press)

G.W.F. Hegel, The Phenomenology of Spirit cyf. A Miller (1977, Oxford University Press, USA)

G.W.F. Hegel, Elements of The Philosophy of Right cyf. B. Nisbett (1991, Cambridge University Press

Henry Jones, Dinasyddiaeth bur ac areithiau ereill (1911, Undeb Chwarelwyr Gogledd Cymru)

Henry Jones, The working faith of the social reformer and other essays  (1910, MacMillan & Co)

Henry Jones, A Faith that Enquires (1922, The MacMillan Company)

J.R. Jones, Religion as True Myth (1953, University College Swansea)

J.R. Jones, Yr Argyfwng Gwacter Ysbryd (1964, Llyfrau’r Dryw)

J.R. Jones, Ac Onide (1970, Llyfrau’r Dryw)

J.R. Jones,Prydeindod (1966, Llandybie: Christopher Davies)

Kaufmann, W., Existentialism from Dostoevsky to Sartre (1968, Cleveland: Meridian Books)

E.R. Lloyd-Jones, Yr Athro J.R. Jones (1997, Gwasg Pantycelyn)

Lyotard, J.-F., The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge, Geoff Bennington and Brian Massumi (trans.), (1984, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press)

W.J. Mander, British Idealism: A History. (2011, Oxford University Press)

R. Manning, Russell (gol.), The Cambridge Companion to Paul Tillich (2009, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press)

E.G. Matthews, Hegel (1984, Gwasg Gee)

E.G. Matthews, Yr Athro Alltud, Syr Henry Jones (1998, Gwasg Gee)

E.G. Matthews, (gol.) Dewi Z. Phillips: Cyfrol Deyrnged (2012, Y Lolfa)

D.Z. Phillips, Philosophy’s Cool Place (1999, Cornell University Press)

D.Z. Phillips, Interventions in Ethics (1992, MacMillan)

D.Z. Phillips, Athronyddu am Grefydd (1974, Gwasg Gomer 1974)

D.Z. Phillips, J.R. Jones (1995 University of Wales Press)

R. Rhees, Without Answers (1969, Routledge & K.Paul)

R. Rhees, Rush Rhees on Religion and Philosophy gol. D.Z. Phillips (1997, Cambridge University Press)

R. Rhees, Wittgenstein and the Possibility of Discourse (1988, Cambridge University Press)

R. Rhees a D.Z. Phillips, Moral Questions (1999, MacMillan)

T.A. Roberts Efrydiau Athronyddol Cyfrol 35 (1972 Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru)

E. Said, Orientalism (1979, Vintage)

Sartre, J.P., Being and Nothingness  Cyf. Hazel Barnes (1992, New York: Washington Square Press)

Stern, David G., Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations: An Introduction (2004 Cambridge: Cambridge University Press)

W. Sweet (gol.), The Moral, Social, and Political philosophy of the British Idealists (Exeter, UK: Academic, 2009)

John Heywood Thomas, Tillich: An Appraisal (2000, Continuum)

Charles Taylor, Hegel (1977, Cambridge University Press)

Tillich, P.J., The Courage to Be (2000, New Haven: Yale University Press)

L. Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations (PI), G.E.M. Anscombe and R. Rhees (eds.), G.E.M. Anscombe (trans.), (1953, Oxford: Blackwell)

L. Wittgenstein, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (TLP), C.K. Ogden (trans.), (1922, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul)